Electronic Communication System

Abstract

This invention discloses an instant messaging system that allows users to selectively engage in ephemeral messaging among each other. The system allows a user to switch between ephemeral-messaging mode and normal-messaging mode during a conversation with others. A message sent under the ephemeral-messaging mode is treated as an ephemeral message and a message sent under the normal-messaging mode is treated as a normal message. When a user sends an ephemeral message to another user, the system dynamically determines an ephemeral period for the message based on the message's length if the message is a text message or based on the message's size if the message is an image or video message. The ephemeral message is then sent to the other user's device for display. But the message is only displayed for a time period not exceeding the ephemeral period. Furthermore, a smart URI mechanism is implemented to provide easy-to-access entry points to the system. Upon a user's registration with the system, the system assigns a particular URI to the user, which the user can use to invite others to join him/her for a chat via the system.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for ephemeral messaging, the method comprising:
 receiving a message from a first user device;   determining the message's length or size;   calculating an ephemeral period for the message based on the message's length or size; and   sending the message and the calculated ephemeral period to a second user device for displaying the message on the second user device for a time period not exceeding the ephemeral period.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising receiving a signal from the first user device which indicates that the message should be treated as an ephemeral message. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein both the first user device and the second user device are mobile devices. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the message's length is determined based on the total number of characters in the message when the message is a text message. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the message contains a plurality of special characters and a plurality of letters and the plurality of special characters are given more weight than the plurality of letters in calculating the ephemeral period. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the message further contains a plurality of single digit numbers and the plurality of single digit numbers are given more weight than the plurality of letters in calculating the ephemeral period. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the message's size is determined based on the total number of bytes of the message when the message is an image or video message. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said calculating is further based on a user profile associated with the second user device, and wherein the user profile includes at least one of user interest data and user experience data. 
     
     
         9 . An instant messaging system, the system comprising:
 a memory for storing instructions; and   a processor which, upon executing the instructions, performs a process comprising:
 receiving a message from a first mobile device; 
 determining the message's length if the message is a text message; 
 determining the message's size if the message is an image or video message; 
 calculating an ephemeral period for the message based on the message's length or size; and 
 sending the message and the calculated ephemeral period to a second mobile device for displaying the message on the second mobile device for a time period not exceeding the ephemeral period. 
   
     
     
         10 . The instant messaging system of  claim 9 , wherein the process further comprises receiving an indication that the message should be treated as an ephemeral message from the first mobile device. 
     
     
         11 . The instant messaging system of  claim 10 , wherein the message's length is determined based on the total number of characters in the message, and the message's size is determined based on the total number of bytes of the message. 
     
     
         12 . The instant messaging system of  claim 11 , wherein said calculating is further based on a user profile associated with the second mobile device, and wherein the user profile includes at least one of user interest data and user experience data. 
     
     
         13 . The instant messaging system of  claim 11 , wherein special characters and single digit numbers are given more weight than letters in calculating the ephemeral period. 
     
     
         14 . An ephemeral messaging system, the system comprising:
 a web server for receiving a text message from a first mobile device and sending the text message and an ephemeral period to a second mobile device for displaying the text message on the second mobile device for a time period not exceeding the ephemeral period;   an application controller for calculating the ephemeral period based on the total number of characters in the text message;   a notification server for notifying a user associated with the second mobile device of the text message; and   a data storage means for storing a unique identifier of the text message without storing any content of the text message.   
     
     
         15 . The ephemeral messaging system of  claim 14 , wherein the ephemeral period is a linear function of W*N, wherein W is a predetermined time unit and N is the total number of characters in the text message. 
     
     
         16 . The ephemeral messaging system of  claim 14 , wherein the ephemeral period is a nonlinear function of W*N, wherein W is a predetermined time unit and N is the total number of characters in the text message. 
     
     
         17 . The ephemeral messaging system of  claim 14  further comprises:
 a business logic storage means for storing a user profile associated with the second mobile device, and wherein the user profile includes at least one of user interest data and user experience data, and wherein the ephemeral period is adjusted according to the at least one of user interest data and user experience data. 
 
     
     
         18 . The ephemeral messaging system of  claim 14 , wherein said calculating the ephemeral period based on the total number of characters in the text message comprises calculating the ephemeral period based on the total number of letters, the total number of special characters, and the total number of single digit numbers in the text message. 
     
     
         19 . The ephemeral messaging system of  claim 18 , wherein the ephemeral period is a linear function of W1*N1+W2*N2+W3*N3, wherein W1 is a first predetermined time unit, N1 is the total number of letters, W2 is a second predetermined time unit, N2 is the total number of special characters, W3 is a third predetermined time unit, and N3 is the total number of single digit numbers. 
     
     
         20 . The ephemeral messaging system of  claim 18 , wherein the ephemeral period is a nonlinear function of W1*N1+W2*N2+W3*N3, wherein W1 is a first predetermined time unit, N1 is the total number of letters, W2 is a second predetermined time unit, N2 is the total number of special characters, W3 is a third predetermined time unit, and N3 is the total number of single digit numbers.